Charity Life After annual Funday returns

Local charity Life After will be hosting their annual Funday this Saturday September 10 from 2-4 pm in St Columbs Park House. 

The Funday is open to everyone and activities include bouncy castles, a wrecking ball, target football, archery and face painting.

Mayor of Derry and Strabane District Council, Councillor Sandra Duffy, will be in attendance and the PSNI traffic branch will also be there. 

For the last five years, Life After has provided vital support to grieving families who have lost a loved one in a road traffic collision.

The charity fights for change on the roads, safer roads, encouraging safer driving and driver responsibility, and strives to bring change to the justice system for those charged with careless driving and driving offences. 

The group continues to protest for stricter sentencing for so-called "killer drivers" across Derry and beyond.

There are 153 families currently utilising their essential network, with some families reaching out over four decades later to cope with their loss.

Earlier this year, the charity unveiled a memorial plaque and tree in St Columb's Park dedicated to all those lost in road traffic accidents including the loved ones of the families who are a part of Life After.

Co-founder, Christopher  Sherrard, who sadly lost his father in August 2016 after he was killed by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel, said: "Since records began in the 1930’s, we have lost over 15,000 loved ones on the roads in Northern Ireland.

"Until the formation of Life After in 2017 by local families, there were no proper support packages in place and no where our families could visit which recognised their loved one and gave them comfort in knowing that they were not forgotten."

This Saturday, Life After will also be providing ribbons for families to write messages on to tie to the memorial tree in memory of their loved one who has passed away due to an RTC.